Traveling crane trolley



July 11, 1950 H. HOLDEMAN 2,514,494

TRAVELING CRANE TROLLEY Filed Dec. 22, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 11, 1950 H. HoLDl-:MAN

TRAVELING CRANE TROLLEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 22. 1945 Patented July l1, V1950.

UNITED rSTATES PATENT OFFICE TBAVELING CRANE TROLLEY Lloyd H. Holdeman, MuskegongiMich., 'assignor to Manning, Maxwell & Moore, Inc., Muskegon, AMich., a corporation of New Jersey I Application December 22, 1945', SerialiNo. 636,675l

i-olaims. (o1. 212-132) y`The invention relates to traveling cranes and more particularly to an improved trolley for use with such cranes.

One object of the invention is to provide a trolley of the above general character which requires'a minimum of head room.

Another object is to prov-ide a trolley which is very compact and in which the parts are interrelatedso as to provide a greater range of effective movement along the crane bridge.

AStill another object is to provide a trolley construction in `which the entire load of the cable drum is carried directly by the trolley Wheels thus reducing the load imposed on the frame.

A further object is to improve the construction yoi vthe trolley so as to simplify removal and replacement of Athe wheels, the rope drum and the power units for hoisting and for traversing the trolley.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is an end elevational view of a crane trolley embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showingrdetails of the traverse drive mechanism.

Fig. 3 fis -a sectional View showing details of drumdriving mechanism.

Fig. lis a horizontal sectional view of the trolley .taken in a plane substantially `on the. line lei-f4 of=Fig. '5.

' Eig. `5 is =a 'transverse sectional -view of the trolley takenn a vertical plane substantially on the`1ine5.-15 of Fig. 4.

While .the invention is susceptible .of vvarious modifications and alternative constructions, I hayrezshown in V,the drawings and will herein de- Scribe .-in .detail the preierred embodiment, but

it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend te limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modiications and alternative constructions falling within the `spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

For purposes of illustration, the improved crane trolley 'has been shown as adapted to run on parallel track rails I0 (Fig. 1) carried by a crane bridge of any suitable type of which only the bridge girders II have been shown. Support for the trolley is provided by anged wheels adapted to engage the rails I0, including a pair of traction wheels I2 and a pair `of idle wheels I3. The trolley is provided with a drum I-Il upon which s' mound a cable I5 -fcr raising and lowering -a Y 2 lifting hook I6. The drum is adapted to be driven by -a vpower unit |"I including an electric motor MI A separate power unit I8 including a motor M is arrange to drive the traction wheels I 2.

The trolley, as herein shown, is provided with side frames 20 and 2l connected by a girder 2'2 to form a rigid frame structure. The girder 22 is preferably of channel-shaped cross section and is `arranged in an inverted position as shown in Fig. 5. One web of the girder may be recessed or oonvexly formed along its 'lower edge as indicated at 2d `(Figs. 1 and 5) to permit the hook I6 to rise to the upper limit position shown in Fig. 5 yof the drawings.

1n carrying out the invention, the vertical dimensions of the trolley and its length, measured in the direction of travel, Iare reduced to e, mini-v mum by constructing and arranging the parts in a novel manner which enables the cable drum to serve as the axle for the wheels i3. For this purpose, the drum is provided at opposite ends with rigid cylindrical extensions or axle members 25 and 26 `which serve to support the drum on the side frames 2i) and 2l and 'additionally serve as axles for the wheels I3.

In the exemplary trolley, the axle extension 2'5 is in the form of a short shaft and is fitted into a socket member 2l integral with or rigidly secured in one end of the drum I4. The axle member is arranged to project substantially be-v yond the end vof the drum to accommod-ate one of the wheels i3 `and to engage in a supporting bear ing 28 carried by the side frame 2l of the trolley. With the vconstruction above described, the weight of the cable drum I4 and the load imposed thereon is carried directly by the wheels I3 thus relieving the side frames 2i) and 2| of a substantial part of the load which they are required to carry in crane trolleys as heretofore constructed. The side frames can therefore be of relatively light construction. Moreover, the cable drum is located in the moet advantageous position to clear obstacles above or below the trolley so that minimum head room is required for its operation: The length of the trolley is also reduced to a minimum, thus enabling it to carry a load very close to the ends of its supporting track.

To facilitate assembly of the drum i4 in the 'trolley and to simplify its removal for repair or replacement, the axle member 26 is detachably connected to the drum. The connection, as herein shown, is provided by a cap member 3E bolted to the end of the drum and having an internally splined sleeve-like hub section 3| for receiving the splined end of the member 26. Support for the member is provided by a bearing 32 carried by the side frame of the trolley. The other of the wheels I3 is rotatably supported on the section of the member between the bearing and the hub 3 I To further simplify maintenance of the trolley, the axle member 26 is incorporated in the power unit I1 and, as herein shown, constitutes the terminal shaft of the unit. In its preferred form, the power unit comprises a generally rectangular gear casing 33 having a cylindrical hub projecting laterally at one side and adapted to lit into a recess in the side frame 20 of the trolley. The hub 34 in cooperation with a stud 35 rigid with the casing and projecting through Aan aperture in the side of the frame support the weight of the casing on the frame. The parts are held in assembled relation by a nut 36 threaded on the projecting end of the stud.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings, the axle member 26 projects into the casing 33 through a bushing 31 i'ltted into the hub 34 and its outer end is supported by a bearing 38 carried on the oppositewall casing. Journaled in the casing 33 below the member 26 is a shaft 4U (Fig. 3) having a worm 4I meshing with a worm wheel 42 keyed to the member. The worm shaft is arranged to be driven by the motor M through gearing 43 and a suitable brake 44 is provided on the motor shaft for quickly stopping the motor when the current supply is interrupted.

By reason of the novel construction above described, the power unit I1 may be removed from the trolley by simply unscrewing the nut 36 and withdrawing the axle member 26 from the drum. When the axle member is withdrawn, the drum I4 is readily removable from the trolley. Provision is also made for removing the drum without disturbing the power unit. For this purpose, the bearing 28 for the drum axle 25 is carried on a bearing cup 45 removably secured to the side` frame 2I. Accordingly, the drum may be freed for removal by removing the bolts attaching the cap 30 thereto and disengaging the bearing cup 45.

The traction wheels I2 and power unit I8 for driving the same are also constructed and a1'- ranged for convenient assembly and disassembly. Thus the wheels I2 are keyed to a traverse shaft 46 supported at one end by a bearing 41 carried by a bearing cup 48 removably mounted on the side frame 20. The other end of the shaft 46 is coupled to and supported by a shaft 50 constituting the terminal shaft of the power unit I8. The coupling between the shafts is provided by a sleeve member 5I splined to the Shaft 50 and bolted to one face of the adjacent traction wheel I2. Both traction wheels are keyed to the shaft 46 and are spaced apart to enable them to engage the rails I0.

The power unit I8, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, comprises a generally rectangular casing 53 having a laterally projecting hub 54 at one side engaging in a recess in the sideframe 2l. The shaft is rotatably supported by a bearing 55 seated in the hub 54 and a second bearing 56 carried by the opposite side wall of the casing. For driving the shaft 46, a shaft 51 journaled in the casing is provided with a worm 58 meshing with a worm wheel 59 fast on the shaft. The shaft 51 is driven by the motor M through suitable gearing 60 enclosed in the casing.

As indicated heretofore, the lifting hook I6 is suspended from the drum I4 by means of a cable I5. The cable I5 is anchored at both ends to the drum, the anchorage points being adjacent opposite ends of the drum. The cable passes downwardly from the drum under a pair of sheave wheels 6I carried by a block 62 to which the hook I6 is secured and then upwardly over an equalizing pulley 63 journaled on the girder 22. In the preferred form of the trolley, the equalizingpulley 63 is mounted on the inner side vof :oneof the girder webs upon a shaft 64 supported at one end in the web and at the other end by a channel-shaped bracket 65 rigidly secured to the web.

Also supported within the girder is a limit stop device comprising a lever 66 pivoted at one end on a plate 61 depending from and secured to the top web of the girder. The lever 66 extends over a switch arm t8 associated with a limit switch 69 suitably connected in the circuit of the motor M.

'Suspended from the free end of the lever by a chain 10 is a weight 1I engageable by the lifting hook block B2 as the hook approaches its upper limit position. The arrangement is such that when the block lifts the weight, the switch 89 is opened to stop the motor M and thus prevent further raising of the hook and consequent damage to the trolley. The enclosure of the equalizing pulley t3 and the limit switch 69 and its associated elements within the girder 22 serves to shield the elements from the weather and effectually protects them from mechanical injury.

, vit will be apparent from the foregoing that the invention provides a crane trolley of novel and advantageous construction. By reason of the novel construction and arrangement of the parts, and particularly the arrangement whereby the cable drum is enabled to serve as an axle for certain of the` trolley wheels, the length and height of the trolley is reduced to a minimum. Thus the trolley requires a minimum of head room and is capable of traveling through a maximum range horizontally. The improved trolley issimple and rugged in construction and various parts are readily accessible for adjustment or repair and are readily assembled or disassembled when required.

I claim as my invention:

l. A crane trolley adapted to run on parallel track rails comprising, in combination, a rigid frame structure including spaced side members connected by a girder, a traverse shaft extending between said side members and rotatably supported thereon, traction wheels carriedby said shaft and engageable with the rails to support one.v end of the frame, a pair of idle wheels en: gageable with the rails to support the other end of the frame, an axle member for each idle wheel, a bearing carried by each side frame for supporting one end of each axle member, and a cable drum rigidly connecting the other ends of said axle members. `2.` A crane trolley adapted to run on parallel track rails comprising, in combination, a rigid frame structure including spaced side frames, a traverse drive shaft journaled on said side frames, traction wheels fast on said shaft engageable with the rails to support one end of the trolley, a power unit supported on one of said side frames and having'a driving connection with said shaft,

a cable drum having an axle member atv each end journaled in the respective side frames, idle wheels rotatably mounted on said axle members and engageable with the rails to support said drum and the other end of said trolley, and, a power unit carried by the other of saidside frames and having a driving connection with one of said axle members.

3. In a crane trolley, in combination, spaced side frames, a cable drum having an aXle member at each end journaled in said side frames, trolley supporting Wheels rotatably mounted on said axle members, and driving mechanism including a motor connected with one of said axle members, Said one axle member having a releasable connection with said cable drum to permit removal of the axle member with the power mechanism as a unit.

4. In a crane trolley, in combination, a rigid frame structure including spaced side frames, a traverse shaft, flanged wheels non-rotatably secured to sai-d shaft adjacent opposite ends thereof, a bearing on one of said side frames supporting one end of said shaft, a sleeve member rigid with one of said Wheels and projecting beyond the other end of said shaft, a power drive mechanism including a drive shaft projecting into said REFERENCES CTED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 477,437 Morgan June 21, 1892 941,938 Muller Nov. 30, 1909 997,934 Pogue July 11, 1911 1,610,884 Robertson Dec. 14, 1926 2,335,563 Lock Nov. 30, 1943 2,406,889 Mitchell Sept. 3, 1946 

